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GAME NOTES: Rangers vs. Tampa Bay Lightning

by
Staff Writer
/ New York Rangers

AT

Tonight's Game

The Rangers host the Tampa Bay Lightning tonight at Madison Square Garden (7:00 p.m.) as they continue their season-long, six-game homestand. The Rangers are 1-1-0 after two games of the homestand, having lost to the Toronto Maple Leafs, 4-1, Saturday night to drop their home record to 3-2-0 on the season. Overall, the Blueshirts have posted a record of 3-6-1 in 10 games, ranking fourth in the Atlantic Division and 13th in the Eastern Conference with seven points. Over the last four games, New York has only allowed five goals against in regulation/overtime, and have held opponents to two goals or fewer in seven contests this season. Following tonight's game, the Blueshirts will take on the Washington Capitals on Thursday, November 1, at Madison Square Garden. The Lightning, 5-3-1, are currently in second place in the Southeast Division with 11 points and are 2-0-0 vs. Atlantic Division opponents.

* New York ranks fourth in the league in goals against average (1.98); Tampa Bay ranks fourth in the NHL with 3.56 goals for per game.

* In their last four games vs. the Lightning at MSG, the Rangers are 3-0-1.

* The Rangers posted a 4-2-0 record in games played on Monday last season.

* Last season, the Blueshirts outshot their opponents 49 times, posting a record of 23-17-9 in those games; Currently,the Rangers have outshot their opponents in nine of 10 games this season, including nine straight (312-236).

* In 2006-07 vs. Tampa Bay, the Rangers notched four goals in 13 power play opportunities (30.8%), including tallies by Brendan Shanahan and Martin Straka.

* In four games against Tampa Bay last season, Martin Straka led the Blueshirts with seven points (two goals and five assists), while Dan Boyle topped the Lightning with six points (three goals and three assists) in four games vs. the Rangers.

* Henrik Lundqvist has posted a 4-2-2 record, along with a 1.97 goals against average and one shutout in eight career regular season appearances vs. Tampa Bay.

* Jaromir Jagr has registered 66 points (30 goals and 36 assists) in 54 career games vs. the Lightning, including one hat trick -- Feb. 4, 2003, at Tampa Bay (Grahame); Brendan Shanahan has notched 16 goals and 17 assists for 33 points in 30 career games vs. Tampa Bay; Scott Gomez has collected 19 assists (seven goals and 19 assists) in 28 career contests with the Lightning.

* In 16 games with Avangard Omsk of the Russian Super League (RSL) this season, Alexei Cherepanov, the Rangers' first round pick (17th overall) in the 2007 NHL Entry Draft, has registered five goals and three assists for eight points; As a rookie last season, he set the RSL record for most goals by a rookie (18), eclipsing Pavel Bure's mark (17) set in 1988-89 with the Red Army (CSKA Moscow).

* The Rangers have one former Lightning player on their roster; Paul Mara (1998-99 to 2000-01).

* The Rangers have lost 15 manpower games to injury or illness this season.

Highlights from HartfordFollow the progress of the Rangers' top prospects:

The Wolf Pack are riding their first winning streak of the young season, and are above .500 for the first time, after a 2-1 win at Worcester (San Jose affiliate) Saturday night. That came on the heels of the Pack’s first home victory in three tries on the year, a 2-1 shootout triumph Saturday over the Springfield Falcons (Edmonton affiliate). Wednesday night saw the Pack drop a 4-3 home decision to Providence (Boston affiliate). The Wolf Pack face their first three-game weekend of the campaign this weekend, with home games Friday night (7:00) vs. Worcester and Saturday (7:00) against Toronto (Maple Leafs affiliate) and a Sunday (4:00) visit to Manchester (Los Angeles affiliate). Individual highlights of the Pack's recent games included:

Ivan Baranka netted a SHG, for the Pack’s only goal in regulation or overtime, in Friday night’s shootout victory over Springfield.

Brodie Dupont has a three-game point-scoring streak (1-2-3). His first pro goal was the Wolf Pack’s first shorthanded goal of the season, and the first goal of the game, in Wednesday evening’s home loss to Providence.

Chris Holt has won back-to-back games for the Wolf Pack, after making 25 saves and earning Third-Star honors in Saturday’s 2-1 victory in Worcester. He posted his first AHL win of the season Friday night vs. Springfield, after entering the game at the start of the third period in relief of Al Montoya. Holt stopped six out of seven shots in the third, and all three shootout attempts he faced.

Greg Moore was named the First Star of both of the Wolf Pack’s last two wins. Notched GWG with 0:58 remaining in the second period Saturday in Worcester and bagged shootout-ending goal Friday, in the Pack’s 2-1 shootout triumph at home over Springfield. He earned Second-Star honors in Wednesday night’s home loss to Providence, with two assists.

Pierre Parenteau tallied his third goal in five games with the Wolf Pack on Saturday night at Worcester.